The 'Game Of Thrones' Prequel Just Named Its Cast Of 'Rising Stars'—And There Are Some Familiar Faces In The Bunch

Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Hugo Boss Prize 2018

Jan. 09, 2019 05:33PM EST

Okay, Game of Thrones fans, it's time to that thing you do, freak out and fill everyone's Facebook feed with non-stop GoT news! The cast list for the prequel is announced and, it's full of faces you've seen before--and even more exciting, the keyword seems to be: diversity!

First up, the show will have a female showrunner and pilot director: Jane Goldman, the writer of the films X-Men: First Class and Kick Ass will helm the show. For the pilot, she'll be joined by British director SJ Clarkson, who's previously helmed Orange Is the New Black, Jessica Jones and Bates Motel, among may other shows.

And when it comes to the cast, the show is bringing us some up-and-comers sure to become household names--and they're making Age of Heroes-era Westeros a more diverse place!

So where have you seen these folks? Among the cast are Black British actors Naomi Ackie, an alum of the British series The Bisexual who will be playing a leading role in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX; award-winning British theater actress Sheila Atim, who you may recognize from Hulu's Harlots; and Ivanno Jeremiah, who's appeared in Black Mirror and AMC's Humans.

Joining them will be other faces you may recognize: Irish stage actress Denise Gough; Jamie Campbell Bower, an alum of the Twilight Saga; Georgie Henley, who's appeared in the Disney Narnia films; Alex Sharp, who starred in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; and Tony Regbo, from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

But there's one castmember who's a downright legend. Drumroll please...

Naomi Watts will be adding the Game of Thrones prequel to her multiple Oscar-, Golden Globe- and Screen Actors Guild Awards-nominated resume. Maybe she's gunning to add an Emmy nod to that illustrious list!

On social media, as always with all things GOT, fans were barely able to contain their excitement!

Very little is know about the story of the prequel, except that it takes place thousands of years before the Game of Thrones we now know and love. But whatever the plot, the inclusion of actors of color and female leadership behind the scenes seems to signal a new direction for the franchise, which has often been criticized for its lack of diversity and the treatment of women in its stories. So, here's to progress!

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